EU foreign policy chief meets Iranian FM in Brussels

By Serife Cetin

BRUSSELS (AA) - Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif on Tuesday met Federica Mogherini, the EU foreign policy chief, in Brussels, in order to discuss the potential future of the Iran nuclear deal.

Following U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to exit the Iran nuclear deal (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, JCPOA), Zarif has been conducting various diplomatic talks.

Zarif, after a closed-door meeting with Mogherini in Brussels, said: "My meeting with Mogherini was good and constructive. We are on the right path. Decisions taken must protect and secure the rights of Iran. Our meetings will continue during the upcoming two weeks."

The Iranian minister is expected to meet his German, French and British counterparts Tuesday evening in a meeting hosted by the EU foreign policy chief.

In July 2015, P5+1 group of countries -- the U.S., the U.K., France, China, Russia and Germany -- signed with Iran the nuclear deal, also known as the JCPOA.

World powers agreed to lift some of the economic sanctions imposed on Iran in return for the latter agreeing to limit its nuclear activity to peaceful and civilian purposes.

However, on May 8, Trump announced the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA.